Vacuum ejector pumps

ABSTRACT

Disclosed herein is a vacuum ejector pump operated by compressed air which flows in and out at high velocity, thus creating negative pressure in an outer surrounding space (S). The vacuum ejector pump includes a cylindrical nozzle body ( 2 ) and a cover ( 10 ). The nozzle body has at a predetermined position thereof an opening ( 3 ). One or more mounting nozzles ( 4, 5 ) are coaxially installed in the nozzle body and are visible through the opening ( 3 ). Holes ( 8 ) are formed in the wall of the nozzle body to allow the pump to communicate with the surrounding space (S). The cover functions to cover the opening of the nozzle body. Further, the pump includes flexible valve members ( 9 ) to open or close the holes, and fastening means ( 13, 14 ) to fasten the nozzle body to the cover.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates generally to vacuum ejector pumps, operated by compressed air which flows in and out at high velocity, thus creating negative pressure in a space, and more particularly to a vacuum ejector pump, which includes a cylindrical nozzle body having one or more mounting nozzles therein, and a cover mounted to the nozzle body to cover an opening formed at a predetermined position of the nozzle body.

BACKGROUND ART

A conventional vacuum pump, which is called a multi-stage ejector, is shown in FIG. 1. The vacuum pump 100 includes chambers 101, 102, and 103 which are arranged in series, and a plurality of nozzles 105, 106, and 107 which are installed through partition walls between the chambers 101, 102, and 103. The chambers 101, 102, and 103 communicate with a common vacuum chamber 104 through holes 108, 109, and 110. The vacuum pump 100 is connected to external equipment (e.g. suction equipment) through a port 111 which is formed at a predetermined position in the vacuum chamber 104.

When high-speed compressed air is discharged through the nozzles 105, 106, and 107, the compressed air is discharged along with internal air of the vacuum chamber 104 and the external equipment, so that the internal pressure of the vacuum chamber 104 is lowered. When the pressure in the vacuum chamber 104 becomes lower than the pressure in each chamber 101, 102, 103, all of the holes 108, 109, and 110 are closed by valves 112, 113, and 114. The vacuum chamber 104 maintains the pressure level. During such a process, negative pressure is created in the external equipment. The negative pressure is used to carry articles.

However, the conventional vacuum pump 100 is problematic in that it is impossible to directly install it in various equipment requiring that air be expelled, and it is difficult to disassemble or assemble the pump for repair or maintenance.

In order to solve the problems of the conventional vacuum pump 100, another type of vacuum pump has been proposed. The vacuum pump is disclosed in Korean Patent No. 393434 (U.S. Pat. No. 6,394,760), and is shown in FIG. 2. According to this patent, the vacuum pump 200 includes a plurality of nozzles 202, 203, 204, and 205 and valve members 210. The nozzles 202, 203, 204, and 205 are assembled in series, with slots 207, 208, and 209 provided between the nozzles. The valve members 210 are located between the nozzles 202, 203, 204, and 205, and serve to open and close communication holes 206 which are formed in walls of the nozzles 202, 203, 204, and 205. Coupling means are provided on the nozzles 202, 203, 204, and 205 to couple the nozzles 202, 203, 204, and 205 to an integrated, rotationally symmetrical nozzle body 201.

The vacuum pump 200 is directly accommodated in a housing H of another piece of equipment, and is operated by high-speed compressed air which sequentially passes through the nozzles 202, 203, 204, and 205, thus creating negative pressure in an internal space S of the housing H.

However, the conventional vacuum pump 200 is problematic in that joints between the nozzles 202, 203, 204, and 205 are prone to break or be deformed (bent or distorted) by external pressure or impact when the vacuum pump 200 is in use. Further, when the vacuum pump 200 breaks down, all components of the pump must be disassembled to check the vacuum pump 200.

DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION

Technical Problem

Accordingly, the present invention is intended to solve the problems of the vacuum pump 200 disclosed in the above-mentioned patent.

An object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum ejector pump, which is directly installed in various equipment requiring that air be expelled, and does not break or become deformed when the pump is in use. Another object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum ejector pump, which is capable of being rapidly and precisely checked and treated when trouble occurs in the pump.

Technical Solution

In order to accomplish the objects, the present invention provides a vacuum ejector pump which has characteristics disclosed in the first claim. The preferred embodiment of this invention covers elements disclosed in the dependent claims.

Advantageous Effects

The vacuum ejector pump of the present invention is equal to the above-mentioned conventional vacuum pump 200 in that the pump may be directly installed in various equipment requiring that air be expelled.

However, the vacuum ejector pump of this invention is more advantageous than the conventional vacuum pump in that components are safely protected by a nozzle body, and components including mounting nozzles or valve members can be observed through an opening or a cover with the naked eyes, thus enabling rapid and precise check and treatment of malfunctions of the pump.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a conventional vacuum ejector pump;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of another conventional vacuum ejector pump;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a vacuum ejector pump, according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the vacuum ejector pump of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the vacuum ejector pump of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line A-A of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken along line B-B of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a view to show the state where the vacuum ejector pump according to the present invention is accommodated in an additional housing; and

FIG. 9 is a sectional view taken along line C-C of FIG. 8, and illustrating the state in which a surrounding space is evacuated.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

As shown in FIGS. 3 through 9, a vacuum ejector pump, according to this invention, is denoted by reference numeral 1. The vacuum ejector pump 1 includes a cylindrical nozzle body 2, a cover 10, and fastening means 13 and 14. An opening 3 is provided at a predetermined position in the nozzle body 2. The cover 10 is provided to cover the opening 3 of the nozzle body 2. The fastening means 13 and 14 serve to fasten the nozzle body 2 to the cover 10.

One or more mounting nozzles 4 and 5 are provided in the nozzle body 2, and are visible through the opening 3. The mounting nozzles 4 and 5 are arranged to be coaxial with the nozzle body 2, and are installed through partition walls 6 and 7 which are provided in the nozzle body 2 in such a way as to be integrated with the nozzle body 2, as shown in the drawings. The mounting nozzles 4 and 5 may comprise a plurality of nozzles such that the vacuum ejector pump 1 has desired efficiency characteristics. In this case, the mounting nozzles 4 and 5 are arranged in series, and are spaced apart from each other.

A plurality of holes 8 is formed in the wall of the nozzle body 2. The holes 8 allow the vacuum ejector pump 1 to communicate with a space S surrounding the vacuum ejector pump 1 (see, FIG. 8). The holes 8 may be formed on the wall of the cover 10.

Further, flexible valve members 9 are provided to open or close the holes 8. Each valve member 9 is a flat valve, and closes an associated hole 8, when the surrounding space S reaches a pressure which is lower than the internal pressure of the vacuum ejector pump 1, thus preventing a stream of compressed air from passing through an air channel into the surrounding space S. Each valve member 9 may be made of a flexible material, such as natural rubber, synthetic rubber, or urethane rubber. Meanwhile, if a great number of valve members 9 is required, it takes a longer time to assemble and disassemble the pump. Thus, it is preferable that the valve members 9 be integrated with a gasket 11.

The gasket 11 is provided to seal a junction of the nozzle body 2 and the cover 10, thus preventing an undesirable stream of air at the contacting portion. The gasket 11 has bent wing pieces 12 which extend vertically. The wing pieces 12 contact the outer surface of the nozzle body 2, and function to prevent the gasket 11 from being undesirably moved.

The cover 10 is provided to cover the opening 3 of the nozzle body 2. When the cover 10 and the nozzle body 2 are fastened to each other, the combination thereof has a circular cross-section (see, FIGS. 6 and 7). In order to be able to visually observe the interior of the nozzle body 2, the cover 10 is preferably manufactured using a transparent material. The fastening means 13 and 14 comprise two O-rings. The O-rings 13 and 14 are fitted to surround contacting portions of opposing ends 10 a and 10 b of the cover 10 and the surface of the nozzle body 2.

An injection unit 15 having an air injection hole 15 a is mounted to an air inlet port 2 a of the nozzle body 2, and a silencer 16 for preventing noise is mounted to an air outlet port 2 b of the nozzle body. Further, a cylindrical filter 17 has a cross-section whose diameter is larger than that of the nozzle body 2. The filter 17 is arranged to be coaxial with the nozzle body 2 while receiving the nozzle body 2 therein. Referring to the drawings, opposite ends of the filter 17 are supported by a step 13 a of the O-ring 13 which is provided around the air inlet port 2 a, and a step 16 a of the silencer 16 which is provided around the air outlet port 2 b. However, the means or method of supporting the filter 17 may be otherwise designed.

The vacuum ejector pump 1 according to this invention accommodated in the housing H is shown in FIG. 8. The vacuum ejector pump 1 passes through the surrounding space S, and is held by both walls of the housing. In this case, the surrounding space S may communicate with the vacuum ejector pump 1 through the holes 8.

Air fed into the nozzle body 2 through the air injection hole 15 a passes through the mounting nozzles 4 and 5 at high velocity, and is discharged to the outside through the air outlet port 2 b of the nozzle body 2. At this time, air in the surrounding space S flows through the open holes 8 into the vacuum ejector pump 1, prior to being discharged along with compressed air (see, FIG. 9). Due to such exhausting action, the pressure of the surrounding space S starts dropping. Thereby, when the pressure of the surrounding space S is lower than the internal pressure of the vacuum ejector pump 1, all of the holes 8 are closed by the valve members 9. Thus, the surrounding space S maintains the pressure level. 

1. A vacuum ejector pump operated by compressed air which flows in and out at high velocity, thus creating negative pressure in an outer surrounding space S, the vacuum ejector pump comprising: a cylindrical nozzle body (2) having at a predetermined position thereof an opening (3), and at least one mounting nozzle (4, 5) which is coaxially installed in the nozzle body and is visible through an opening (3); a cover (10) to cover the opening (3) of the nozzle body (2); a flexible valve member (9) provided on a wall of either the nozzle body (2) or the cover (10), and opening or closing a hole (8) which allows the pump to communicate with the surrounding space (S); and fastening means (13, 14) to fasten the nozzle body (2) to the cover (10).
 2. The vacuum ejector pump according to claim 1, wherein, when the mounting nozzle (4, 5) comprises a plurality of nozzles, the mounting nozzles (4, 5) are arranged in series in such a way as to be spaced apart from each other.
 3. The vacuum ejector pump according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the cover (10) is made of a transparent material.
 4. The vacuum ejector pump according to claim 1, wherein a gasket (11) is provided to seal a contacting portion of the nozzle body (2) and the cover (10).
 5. The vacuum ejector pump according to claim 4, wherein the gasket (11) comprises a bent wing piece (12) that contacts an outer surface of the nozzle body (2) and prevents undesirable movement of the gasket (11).
 6. The vacuum ejector pump according to claim 1, wherein the valve member (9) is integrally provided on the gasket (11) that seals the contacting portion of the nozzle body (2) and the cover (10).
 7. The vacuum ejector pump according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means (13, 14) comprises O-rings, the O-rings (13, 14) being fitted to surround contacting portions of opposite ends (10 a, 10 b) of the cover (10) and a surface of the nozzle body (2).
 8. The vacuum ejector pump according to claim 1, wherein a cylindrical filter (17) is arranged to be coaxial with the nozzle body (2) while receiving the nozzle body (2) therein. 